Industrial Laminates Catalog

Product Announcement from Franklin Fibre-Lamitex Corporation

LAMITEX® laminated materials provide a unique range of design benefits. LAMITEX® composite laminates are engineering materials made from layers of fibrous reinforcement such as cotton cloth, paper or woven glass cloth, which are bonded together with high quality thermoset plastic resins. The layers are pressed together under high pressure and the resin is baked until it becomes solid, fusing the material into a tough, strong and dense material. Combinations of phenolic, epoxy, melamine or silicon resins saturated and cured in paper, cotton fabric, glass fabric or aramid fibre fabrics offers a range of laminate grades with properties designed for everyday use to the most demanding by today's technologies

LAMITEX® laminates combine mechanical strength and electrical insulation with chemical and weather resistance. They are rigid, with a high strength to weight ratio, and most grades can be machined with standard machine tools to make finished components. Franklin offers a comprehensive range of grades for our customers' diverse applications.

Glass Epoxy Filament Wound Tubes

Filament wound tubes and shapes have exceptional interlaminar shear strength. Glass/epoxy resin ratios, winding tensions and pre-determined wind angles give directional strength as required for each application. Tubes weighing half as much and with equal strengths as similar size aluminum tubes may have 33% thinner walls. Glass/epoxy filament wound tubes can be machined to close tolerances.

Glass and epoxy materials offer excellent resistance to weather, ultraviolet radiation, temperature extremes and moisture. Halogen-free epoxies are suitable for salt water environments. Glass/epoxy composites are also excellent electrical insulators, are non magnetic and will not interfere with radar or radio frequency signals. With few exceptions, filament wound materials are more resistant to chemical corrosion than stainless steel, monel and titanium.

Various epoxy resin formulations are available with 135°C, 155°C, 180°C, 200°C and cryogenic continuous use ratings. Tubes can be made with flame retardant epoxy resins. The standard natural color is light green; however tubes can be made in custom colors.

Tubes can be made with an ID as small as .187'' and as big as 48''. Standard lengths are 90'' to 96'', depending on the ID size, and some sizes are available up to 16' long.

Round Rods

Rods are supplied in two forms: wrapped and molded or ground from sheet stock. Specification of what product fits your needs is dependent upon your application. Please consult with technical sales for assistance in specifying the correct material. Molded rods are available in sizes from .250'' to 4'' in diameter in lengths 34''-40''.

Mold-Laminated

Laminations which are cut to shape to fit a mold are known as mold-laminated. This type of molding is preferred and economical when the quantities involved are sufficient to warrant the cost of a mold over that of extensive and intricate machining.

Tests indicate that mold-laminated mechanical and electrical properties are almost identical to parts machined from laminated sheet stock. Similar properties include tensile strength, moisture resistance, specific gravity and dielectric strength. There are however three distinct advantages of mold-laminated products over conventional machined parts: mold-laminated parts require less machining, are cosmetically more appealing and have specific higher mechanical strengths.

Channel & Angle

Channel & Angle sections are molded to size and/or cut from square or rectangular tubes. Sizes can be determined by referring to the sections above. Deduct 1/8" to 1/4" from the relevant internal dimension(s) to allow for the cut.

Experience and Modern Fabrication Facilities You Can Rely On

Franklin is equipped to handle any tube fabricating need you may have. We are continually improving our technical expertise and fabricating capabilities to keep ahead of the ever increasing demands of industry. Franklin fabricates thermoplastic materials, vulcanized fibre and all NEMA grade phenolics, epoxies, melamines and glass polyesters. We specialize in the fabrication of glass, Kevlar® and graphite-filled composite sheet and tube.

CNC lathes are used to hold tight tolerances where required for all turning work and can swing up to 25.5" diameter and 48" in length. Franklin is very experienced in turning all types of plastics and thermoset materials. By utilizing the latest technologies, Franklin continues to build experience in machining difficult materials. Vast inventories of tubing and rod stock are immediately accessible for the production of your specific needs. Large and small quantity orders for machined parts are processed routinely, and CNC lathes provide an economical solution for turning large tubes.